


bring it on home.

by vantas



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Post-Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 15:29:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14897180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vantas/pseuds/vantas
Summary: When the Castle of Lions suffers a catastrophic malfunction, the Paladins of Voltron are forced to make an emergency landing on Earth.It's been nearly two years since the day the Blue Lion whisked them away to fight a ten thousand year old war.(Or: After suddenly finding himself back on Earth, Lance is given the opportunity to reunite with his family.)





	bring it on home.

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the [Lance Flash Bang](http://voltronbigbang.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr! Featuring lovely art by [poliseizy](http://paliseizy.tumblr.com/) and [gonprohunter](http://gonprohunter.tumblr.com/), who have been an absolute joy to work with. Please check out their art ASAP!
> 
>  **gonprohunter's art:** [here](http://gonprohunter.tumblr.com/post/174761770912/bring-it-on-home-when-the-castle-of-lions-suffers)  
>  **poliseizy's art:** [here](http://paliseizy.tumblr.com/post/174760073642/bring-it-on-home-when-the-castle-of-lions-suffers)

To say things haven't gone according to plan is an understatement.

Lance is unsure of what happened, exactly.  He knows something went wrong. That much is obvious.  But it's the technical details that get lost in translation.  Coran tries to explain it, but the words enter through one ear and go out the other.  He says something about booster rockets and emergency efficiency. Throws in a couple of other words there that sound _real_ , as opposed to complete gibberish.

But it's when he starts talking about the little details that his brain turns into mush.  Almost like someone scooped the gray matter out of his skull and threw it into the microwave, setting the heat on high until everything became one big, charred mess.

Either way, the results are the same.

Though they only meant to get close enough to Earth to establish contact with Pidge's father, aware that human technology has yet to advance enough to connect with the castle over entire galaxies, they're forced to make an emergency landing instead.

It's pretty overwhelming, to say the least.

The view's as gorgeous as he remembers.  Blue skies. Shimmering desert sand. Nostalgia hits him smackdab on the face, reminding him of each and every time he clung to his memories of Earth while putting his life on the line for the universe.

(Memories, as it turns out, don't compare to the real thing.

He should be happy.

Overwhelmed with joy, even.

And yet—)

"Well," Pidge begins, grudgingly dismissing the holographic display in front of her. Though she and Hunk have been trying for hours to troubleshoot the malfunction, they've only achieved a whole lot of nothing.  "It looks like we're gonna be stuck for a while," she concedes, slumping down in her seat. "What now?"

Shiro looks _tense_ — which isn't really all that surprising, considering his stress levels have been on the rise since the battle at Naxzela. Still, the frown on his lips is pretty of impressive. "… First thing's first," he says, "We have to inform our allies of our current situation. Contact the Coalition. Let them know we're grounded. The rebel factions will have to make do until the castle _and_ teludav are operational."

"On it," Hunk replies, already bringing forth a new display.

"Good," Shiro breathes out, nodding at Hunk before turning towards the rest of the team. "After that... It's… been a while since we were last on Earth. Hunk, Pidge and Lance, you should take this opportunity to get in touch with your families."

The pause that follows is nearly tangible.

(Though none of them ever dared to admit it, going back to Earth had started to feel more like a crazy dream than anything they would achieve in their lifetime.

It's kind of a lot.)

A second later, Shiro has turned to look at Coran.

"Coran, can you come with me? We might as well deliver our message personally."

"Why, of course!" Coran replies, twirling the ends of his mustache. "I've always wanted to, ah — what is it that Number Two says? Be taken to your leaders?"

They're both out the door moments later.  

Pidge doesn't really stick around after Coran and Shiro make their exit.  She helps Hunk establish a connection with the coalition leaders, sure, but that's about all she does before she's saying something about seeing her mom.  Her voice is oddly strained as she gives them all a shaky smile, her eyes impossibly bright. Allura steps out with her, intent on seeing her off.

That leaves him alone with Hunk.

"... So, uh," Hunk says eloquently, wringing his hands. He sounds about as breathless as Lance feels. It's a little bit comforting for all the wrong reasons. "I'm gonna see if I can get a phone call out to Mom. Can't look a gift horse in the mouth and all, right?"

"You should," Lance says, trying (and failing) to swallow the lump in his throat. "I mean… I know we sent those messages with Pidge's dad and all, but she'll be glad to hear from you personally, buddy."

"Well, _yeah_ ," Hunk replies, frowning. "But aren't you coming with me? I was thinking, what Shiro said— We can find a phone together.  Call our families. Maybe call one of the Jennies while we're at it…"

"I'm _not_ calling one of the Jennies, Hunk," Lance cuts in, rolling his eyes. There's an attempt to not sound like he's dying somewhere in there, but it probably doesn't go as well as he hopes.  Not with Hunk giving him the world's most incredulous look, anyway.

"Uh... You sure?" Hunk asks, cocking an eyebrow. "It'll be easier to find one phone for the two of us."

"Hunk, my man, when have I ever  _not_ been sure about something?"

Mercifully, Hunk doesn't call him out on this.

Or, at least, he doesn't call him out on the _being sure_ part. There's a lot of calling out on him not rushing to contact his family, but in the end, Hunk relents. He _has_ to, if he wants to have any hopes of getting in touch with his mom before it's too late in her time zone. When Hunk leaves the bridge, he gives him one last look over his shoulder. One last opportunity to join him.

Lance simply waves him goodbye.

And then he's alone on the bridge.

He plops down on the ground by the control panel, closing his eyes and—

_"Lance?"_

—nearly jumping out of his skin.

He whirls around immediately, eyes wide as he spots Allura standing by the entrance. She looks similarly surprised, but not for the same reasons. Maybe he's reading too much into it, but she almost looks concerned.

"Princess! What are you still doing here?" he sputters out. Pauses. Realizes how that may have sounded, and _then_ attempts not to make a fool of himself (again).  "Not that, uh— You being here is bad. In fact, it's _great_.  You know, you. Me. The bridge. It's—"

"Lance," she deadpans, all concern gone from her face and quickly replaced with weariness.  Stepping into the room, she moves to sit down with him. "I assumed you had left to contact your family."

He almost winces at that. _Almost_.  "Well... You know me.  Someone's gotta stay behind to guard the castle, and who better than your own friendly neighborhood Sharpshooter?"

"I was unaware the castle defenses had been renamed _Sharpshooter_ ,"  she quips, huffing out a laugh as he immediately proceeds to gasp, clutching the front of his shirt in mock offense. Her good humor doesn't last very long, though.  It only takes a beat before she's frowning again, looking towards the desert. "I must admit... Your planet is beautiful. The sky reminds me greatly of Altea's."

He doesn't know how to respond.  Not really. In the end he settles for: "… What was it like?"

"Gorgeous," Allura says, simply. "Skies as blue as your Earth's.  Entire fields filled with flowers of all kinds. I... I miss it terribly."

"... I'm so sorry, Allura," he breathes out. It still feels inadequate.

"It is what it is," she replies, her lips curling upwards even she gives him the world's most heartbreaking look.  He sucks in a breath when she places her hand over his own. "But I imagine you must have missed your world, as well."

"Well, yeah. But..."

"But?"

 _But_ , indeed.

He pauses, keenly aware of the warmth of her hand.  It's surreal. Everything about this whole day is. He's back on Earth, so close yet so far from his family.  It's, in a way, _too much_.

"I don't know," he finally says, "That's the thing.  I— I feel like if I hear my mom's voice again, my sister, my brothers...  I won't be able to say goodbye. I'll want to stay, Allura. Keith's too busy with the Blade of Marmora, so who's gonna pilot the Red Lion then?"

She squeezes his hand, rubbing her thumb over his knuckles. "I believe I understand," she mumbles, "If I were given the choice to turn back time, to see my father again... To tell him how much I love him? I won't say I'm strong enough to dismiss it."

"Allura, I..."

"Lance," she cuts him off, shaking head.  "We're at war. I... I cannot guarantee things shall always go well.  But you have been given an opportunity, Paladin. All I ask is that you do not waste it.  I trust you to make the right decision, whatever it may be."

He closes his eyes.  Thinks about his mother's hugs.  His sister's smiles. The terrible pranks his brothers would enact.  The games he would play with his niece and nephew.

(He thinks of the bonds he has formed in space.  The battles he has won. The lives he has saved.)

"You know," he begins, rising to his feet. "Mom always asked when I'd introduce her to a girl."

He offers her his hand.

Allura laughs, unbidden.

"I would love to."

**Author's Note:**

> find me on: [tumblr](http://carcinology.tumblr.com/) • [twitter](https://twitter.com/beheads).


End file.
